Collapsible stool



March 1, 1966 M. KAGAN 3,237,576

COLLAPSIBLE STOOL Filed July 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5? 76: 5) FIG. 2 0

INVENTOR. 4/020 547/197 A44 444 March 1, 1966 M. KAGAN COLLAPSIBLE STOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1964 United States Patent 3,237,576 COLLAPSIBLE STOOL Mordechay Kagan, 1032 55th St., Brooklyn, NY. Filed July 23, 1964, Ser. No. 384,597 8 Claims. (Cl. 108-128) The present invention relates generally to seats and in particular to a collapsible stool or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stool which may be conveniently and expeditiously folded into a relatively small package for storage or the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a collapsible stool which when opened to its operative position will provide a strong and firm support for a person seated on the stool.

It is a further object to provide a stool of the described type which can be manufactured and sold at a relatively low price and which will have a long and useful life.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the appended drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a collapsible stool pursuant to the present invention, the stool being illustrated in its open or operative condition;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the stool;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation view of the stool in its collapsed or folded position;

FIGURE 8 is an end view of the stool in its collapsed or folded condition;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view showing the stool being opened from its collapsed condition at the initiation of the opening movement of the stool;

FIGURE 10 illustrates the stool almost completely opened;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1111 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stool in the condition thereof illustrated in FIGURE 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 indicates a collapsible stool pursuant to the present invention. The stool 10 as here shown comprises two U-shaped leg frame members 12 and two U-shaped arm frame members 14. The frame members 12 and 14 are preferably formed of a suitable metallic rod stock. Each U-shaped leg frame 12 is provided with a pair of opposing arms 16-16 which are interconnected by a bight 18. Substantially central thereof each bight 18 is provided with an arcuate portion 20.

Each U-shaped arm frame 14 is provided with a pair of opposing arms 2222 which are interconnected by a bight 24. As best shown in FIGURE 3 each arm 22 is provided at the free end thereof with a hook portion 26.

The stool 10 is provided with a core which is generally indicated by the reference numeral 28. The core 28 3,237,575 Fatenfed Mar. 1, 1965 comprises a pair of laterally spaced metallic plates 30 which are interconnected by a metallic rod 32. As best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 each plate 30 is provided with a laterally extending flange or tab 34. At each end thereof the rod 32 is provided with a substantially right angled bend 36 and is secured in suitable manner at the end 36 thereof to the adjacent plate 30 and the flange 34 thereof.

Each hooked end 26 of each arm 22 of the frames 14 is provided at one side thereof with an arcuate segment 38 to which it is suitably secured, for example, as by brazing or soldering 40 or in other suitable manner. Each plate 30 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced pivot pins 42-42 which are interconnected by a metallic strap 44. Each pivot segment 38 is pivotally mounted so as to pivot about a pivot pin 42. As best shown in FIGURE 4 the pivot segments 38 are interposed between the strap 44 and the hooked arm end 26. In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that each arm frame 14 is mounted on the core 28 for pivotal movement relative thereto. Furthermore, it will be noted from FIG- URE 3 that the flanges 34 serve as detents which are engageable by the associated hooked ends 26 so as to limit the movement of the arm frames 14 from the collapsed position thereof illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 11 to the open or operative position thereof illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 3.

The pivot pins 42 also serve to pivotally mount the leg frames 12. More specifically, the arms 16 of the leg frames 12 are pivotally mounted on the pivot pins 42 in such a manner that the pivoted ends of the arms 16 extend into the concavities 46 defined by the hooked ends 26 of the arms 22 of the arm frames 14. Consequently, it will be apparent that when the arms 16 of the leg frames 12 are moved from the collapsed or inoperative position thereof illustrated in FIGURES 8 and 11 to the opening or operative positions thereof illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, the arms 16 will engage the adjacent hooked ends 26 which therefore function as detents for the arm frames 14 in the open condition of the stool 10. The stool 10 is provided also with a seat 48. Seat 48 is formed of any siutable sheet material such as for example and not by,w-ay of limitation a suitable fabric leather or plastic material. The opposite ends of the seat 48 are looped about the bights 24 of the arm frames 14 as best shown in FIGURE 12 and the looped ends 50 of the seat 48 are secured about the associated bights 24 as by a line ofstitching 52. It will be noted that the flexible seat 48 is therefore extensible from the folded or collapsed condition thereof shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 to the fully extended or operative position thereof shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. v

In order to releasably retain the stool in the expanded or operative condition thereof, provision is made for a preferably metallic strap 54. At one end thereof the strap 54 is provided with a closed end loop 56 which is pivotally mounted about the arcuate portion 20 in the bight 18 of one ofthe leg frames 12 as best shown in FIGURES 9 and 121 At the other end thereof the strap 54 is provided with a pivoted buck-1e 58. The buckle 58 is pivotally movable between the full and broken line positions thereof shown in FIGURE 1 so that it can be moved in the direction of the arrow 62 to engage arcuate portion 20 in the bight 18 of the other leg frame 12 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 in the open condition of the stool for preventing the collapse of the stool in the open condition thereof.

The fully collapsed or closed condition of the stool is illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. It will be noted that in said condition of the stool all of the Ushaped frames 12 and 14 are pivoted with respect to the same position of the core 28 the arm frames 14 being disposed in juxtaposition with the folded seat 48 therebetween and a leg frame 12 being disposed adjacent to each arm 14 at the side thereof remote from the seat 48. In said closed condition of the stool the buckle 56 of the strap 54 is engaged with the rod 32 of the core 28. In order to expand the stool 10 to the open condition thereof the buckle 56 is first disengaged from the rod 32 and moved away therefrom as indicated by the arrow 64 in FIGURE 9. The leg frames 12 are then moved apart as indicated by the arrows 66 in FIGURE 11. This will cause the leg frames to pivot about the pivot members 42 and during the course of said outward pivotal movement of the leg frames 12, the arms thereof will engage the hooked ends 26 of the associated arm frames 14 so as to cause the pivotal segments 38 to pivot about the pivot elements 42 for spreading the arm frames 14 apart as indicated by the arrows 68 in FIGURE 11, the continued movement of leg frames 12 moving together as indicated by the arrows 70 in FIGURE 10 causing the arm frames 14 to move apart as indicated by the arrows 72 in FIGURE 10 until the stool 10 is moved to the fully opened position thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 1. As

previously indicated, the movement of the leg frames 12 in the direction of the arrows 72 will finally move the hooks 26 into abutment with the detent flange 34 on the core 28 at which point the stool 10 will be in the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 1. Thereafter, in order to prevent the inadvertent collapse of the seat 10, the buckle 58 on strap 54 is moved from the broken line position thereof to the full line position thereof in the direction of the arrows 62 shown in FIGURE 1 so as to releasably retain the seat 10 in the open position thereof. When it is desired to close the seat 10, the buckle 58 is released from the leg frame 12 by movement in the direction opposite the arrow 62 and the leg frames 12 then being pivoted about the core 28 in a direction opposite the arrows 70 and then being moved upwardly to the position thereof indicated in FIGURE 9 whereby to bring the arm frames 14 together with the seat 48 collapsing therebetween to the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 8. In said position, the buckle 56 is then engaged about the rod 32 of the core 28.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been illustrated and described a highly novel collapsible stool which can be readily operated to and from the open and close positions thereof. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the stool of the present invention without however departing from the inventive concept thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible stool comprising a core, a pair of 2 arm frames pivotally mounted on said core, a collapsible seat interconnecting said arm frames, and a pair of leg frames pivotally mounted on said core, said arm frames 'having portions thereof disposed in the path of movement of said leg frames in the direction of movement of said leg frames from the collapsed to the open condition of said stool whereby said leg frames engage said arm frames to move said arm frames apart to dispose said seat in operative disposition.

2. A collapsible stool comprising a core, a pair of arm frames pivotally mounted on said core, a collapsible seat interconnecting said arm frames, and a pair of leg frames pivotally mounted on said core, said arm frames having portions thereof disposed in the path of movement of said leg frames in the direction of movement of said leg frames from the collapsed to the open condition of said stool whereby said leg frames engage said arm frames to move said arm frames apart to dispose said seat in operative disposition, and detent means to limit said apart movement of said arm frames.

3. A collapsible stool comprising a core having a pair of pivot members retained in laterally spaced relation, a pair of leg frames each having one leg pivoted on each pivot member, a pair of arm frames each having one leg pivoted on each pivot member, a flexible seat secured between said arm frames, each of said leg frames being movable from an inoperative position at one side of said core to an operative position at the other side of said core, and each arm frame having a portion on each leg thereof which extends into the path of movement of an associated leg of an associated leg frame during such movement of the leg frames whereby said leg frames are operable to move said arm frames apart for opening said flexible seat.

4. A collapsible stool comprising a core having a pair of pivot members retained in laterally spaced relation, a pair of leg frames having one leg pivoted on each pivot member, a pair of arm frames each having one leg pivoted on each pivot member, a flexible :seat secured between said arm frames, each of said leg frames being movable from an inoperative position at one side of said core to an operative position at the other side of said core, and each arm frame having a portion on each leg thereof which extends into the path of movement of an associated leg of an associated leg frame during such movement of the leg frames whereby said leg frames are operable to move said arm frames apart for opening said flexible seat, each pivot member having a detent portion engageable by the adjacent legs of said arm frames to limit said movement of said leg frames.

5. A collapsible stool comprising a core having a pair of pivot members retained in laterally spaced relation, a pair of U-shaped leg frames each having a pair of arms interconnected by a bight, each leg frame having one leg thereof pivotally mounted on one .of said pivot plates, a pair of U-shaped arm frames each having a pair of arms interconnected by a bight, each of said arm frames having one leg pivoted on each pivot member, a flexible seat secured between the bights of said arm frames, said leg frames and said arm frames all be ing disposed at one side of said core in the collapsed condition of said stool with said arm frames in abutment and disposed between said leg frames, each of said leg frames being movable to the opposite side of said core to an operating position thereof, and each arm frame leg having portions thereof which extends into the path of movement of an associated leg of an associated leg frame during such movement of said leg frames whereby said leg frames engage said arm frames to move said arm frames apart for opening said seat.

6. A collapsible stool as in claim 5, each pivot plate having a detent engageable by one leg of each arm frame to limit said movement of said leg frames.

7. A collapsible stool comprising a core, a pair of arm frames pivotally mounted on said core, a collapsible seat interconnecting said arm frames, and a pair of leg frames pivotally mounted on said core, said arm frames; having portions thereof disposed in the path of movement of said leg frames in the direction of movement. of said leg frames from the collapsed to the open condition of said stool whereby said leg frames engage said arm frames to move said arm frames apart to dispose said seat in operative disposition, said core comprising a pair of laterally spaced plates, a rod interconnecting said plates, a pair of pivots provided on each plate, each arm frame having a pair of segments mounted on the pivots of an associated plate, and each leg frame being mounted on the pivots of an associated plate.

'8. A collapsible stool comprising a core, a pair of arm frames pivotally mounted on said core, a collapsible seat interconnecting said arm frames, and a pair of leg frames pivotally mounted on said core, said arm frames having portions thereof disposed in the path of mov m of said leg frames in the direction of movement of said leg frames from the collapsed to the open condition of said stool whereby said leg frames engage said arm frames to move said arm frames apart to dispose said seat in operative disposition, said core comprising a pair of laterally spaced plates, a rod interconnecting said plates, a pair of pivots provided on each plate, each arm frame having a pair of segments mounted on the pivots of an associated plate, and each leg frame being mounted on the pivots of an associated plate, each arm frame having a pair of arms which terminate in free arcuate ends, and each leg frame having a pair of arms which terminate References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 830,326 9/1906 Hutton 108115 914,239 3/1909 Bufi'ington 108128 1,215,689 2/1917 Neif 108128 X 1,982,295 11/1934 Gurbacki 108128 2,015,560 9/1935 Iafrate 108128 2,095,097 10/1937 Krischer 108128 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE STOOL COMPRISING A CORE, A PAIR OF ARM FRAMES PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CORE, A COLLAPSIBLE SEAT INTERCONNECTING SAID ARM FRAMES, AND A PAIR OF LEG FRAMES PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CORE, SAID ARM FRAMES HAVING PORTIONS THEREOF DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID LEG FRAMES IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID LEG FRAMES FROM THE COLLAPSED TO THE OPEN CONDITION OF SAID STOOL WHEREBY SAID LEG FRAMES ENGAGE SAID ARM FRAMES TO MOVE SAID ARM FRAMES APART TO DISPOSE SAID SEAT IN OPERATIVE DISPOSITION. 